Women’s World Cup: Lionesses look to end semi hoodoo
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Women’s World Cup betting tips and odds
England face co-hosts Australia on Wednesday in their third successive World Cup semi-final, but can they finally make it to Sunday’s showpiece?
The Lionesses came back from behind to beat Colombia in the last eight and are 11/8 to beat the Matildas inside 90 minutes and reach their first World Cup final.
We have Women’s World Cup betting tips from the game in Sydney and Tuesday’s clash in Auckland between Sweden and Spain, the 7/5 favourites to lift the trophy,
Spain v Sweden (Tue, 09.00, BBC 1)
Spain start the game as 23/20 favourites to get the job done without the need for extra time or penalties and are 4/7 to qualify for the final, but their progress to the last four has been far from plain sailing.
La Roja began their group campaign with impressive 3-0 and 5-0 victories over Costa Rica and Zambia, but were destroyed 4-0 by Japan in their final group game.
Aitana Bonmati scored two first-half goals in a devastating 5-1 mauling of Switzerland to reach their first World Cup quarter-final where they needed extra time to squeeze past the Netherlands by a 2-1 scoreline.
Sweden, the highest ranked team left in the competition, won all three group games against South Africa, Italy and Argentina, with only Japan scoring more than their nine over the three matches.
However, their biggest triumph came in the round of 16 when they beat two-time defending champions the United States in a penalty shoot-out after a goalless 120 minutes in which Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic was outstanding.
The Swedes then secured a deserved 2-1 victory over World Cup contenders Japan who twice hit the bar in the closing stages – one from a penalty and another from a free-kick – although they had taken until the 63rd minute to have their first shot on target.
Sweden have looked very dangerous from set-pieces and Arsenal defender Amanda Illestedt is their top scorer with four goals, so Spain will have to be strong at the back.
This looks a tough game to call, so we’ll go with both teams to score at evens as the first of our Women’s World Cup betting tips.
A 1-1 draw also looks a possibility at 24/5 which was the case when the teams met in a friendly 10 months ago.
Australia v England (Wed, 11.00, BBC 1)
The European champions are 8/13 to qualify for their first World Cup final, but they will once again be without suspended attacker Lauren James, who has been the shining light in the absence of key players Beth Mead, Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby with three goals and three assists.
James is serving a two-match ban for stamping on the back of Michelle Olozie with three minutes remaining of their goalless draw with Nigeria in the last 16 which England were fortunate to win on penalties.
The Lionesses then had to fight back from a goal down against Colombia to reach the last four as Lauren Hemp took advantage of a goalkeeping error to equalise deep into first-half stoppage time before Alessia Russo drove in a 63rd-minute winner.
Standing in their way of Sunday’s final in Sydney are Australia, who are the only team to beat England under head coach Sarina Wiegman.
The Aussies secured a 2-0 victory at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium in April to end a 30-game unbeaten run, but their first goalscorer that day – star striker Sam Kerr – has barely featured at the World Cup.
The Chelsea forward did not play in any of the group games because of a calf injury and came on late in the game in Australia’s 2-0 victory over Denmark in the last 16.
Encouragingly, Kerr played 65 minutes of the quarter-final with France which the joint-hosts won in the longest penalty shoot-out in Women’s World Cup history after a goalless 120 minutes.
England have been a shadow of the side that won the European Championship, but with Kerr uncertain to start, they catch the eye at 13/5 to win by a one-goal margin as they have in three of their five matches Down Under.
Russo’s winner against Colombia will have boosted her confidence and she looks an interesting prospect to get on the scoresheet at 13/5 as the last of our Women’s World Cup betting tips.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
